Gifts Today magazine

Lucideon to create 100 new jobs

Materials technology company Lucideon reveals its ambitious plans to ramp up its present in the US and create 100 new jobs on both sides of the Atlantic

The global company, which has its headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, is opening up a new facility in North Carolina to tap into the region’s acclaimed expertise in materials science, and have better access to USA markets.

Lucideon’s Strategic Application Centre (STAC) will be based in the Research Triangle Park – an area the company’s bosses see as a powerhouse in the development and application of materials.

From there, Lucideon’s team of in-house chemical and industrial engineers will link up with academics and scientists from three renowned universities, to scale up materials technologies.

This new venture is part of Lucideon’s ongoing programme of investment, which will see the company increase its workforce by over 50 per cent over the next three years, with the majority of new roles based in Stoke-on-Trent.

Lucideon currently has just over 200 employees, of which a high proportion are graduates and post graduates. Mark Smith, HR manager at Lucideon, said: “We’ll see the number of employees increase by around 100 across the group with most of the roles concentrated in the materials development area.

“We have already created over 30 new jobs in the last two years and recruited a number of graduates in key areas of growth and innovation. But we’ll be making many more additions as we look to build on our success.”

A leading provider of materials development, testing and assurance to a range of sectors including ceramic, construction, healthcare and power generation, Lucideon has offices and approved laboratories around the world.

The company helps clients to make money out of materials – speeding up innovation in their organisations, improving performance, complying with regulations and managing resources efficiency.

Lucideon originated from the Stoke-based British Ceramics Research Association, established in 1948 in the heartland of the ceramics industry, where the company still has its headquarters.

Today, while the ceramics industry is still a key part of the business, it has taken ceramics technology into many new and innovative areas, including working with orthopaedic implant manufacturers and other high technology businesses. The company is also a hub for the development of construction materials and technologies.

Tony Kinsella, Chief Executive at Lucideon, said: “Increasingly materials are being seen as the technology of the 21st Century. It’s a big step for our business, but America is leading the way in the quest to make materials make money.

“We already have laboratories in South Carolina and New York State, but we need to strengthen our position in the US and collaborate on projects to continue developing world-leading technologies and innovation, which will transform our business in the UK and keep it at the forefront of the materials industry globally.

“This is an exciting time for the business. At the root of our investment into people and facilities is our passion for developing materials and material technologies of the future.“This game-changing innovation is firmly linked to our client’s needs, helping them to create first-mover advantage and significant bottom line returns.”

Recent innovations from Lucideon include a world leading low energy firing project. Supported by the Regional Growth Fund, the project aims to lower the firing time and temperature of ceramics, cutting manufacturers’ energy bills dramatically, whilst also reducing their carbon footprint.

Lucideon has recently appointed scientists to help develop its services to the healthcare and nuclear industries, and opened a new £1.5 million pharmaceutical chemistry and micro-biology testing laboratory in Stoke-on-Trent.